Sunday, June 6, 2010

The dust has settled, now may be the time for a few comments on the 2010 election and its outcome. Now in my 75th. year I have never missed an election, local or national since the age of 21 (qualifying age then) even travelling an 80 mile round trip for a council bye election, the councillor turning out to be a political opportunist flip flopping from party to party ending up in the CONservities.

Firstly, the media finally got its way in turning our election system into a presidential type. I could note vote for any of the leaders pushed down our throats by the BBC, I would have like to have seen something of the other candidates who would end up in the cabinet.

All we got was the cynicle approach of the same old media 'hacks' with their own agendas to push (mainly get rid of Brown), the news paper columists reviewing each others writings and telling us how good they are.

We used to vote for the person in our constituency we though would best represent us in parliament, the winning party leader becoming Prime minister. Now we seem to be told to vote for a prime minister, dragging their party after them.

Nobody winning this time, we end up with the public school ‘Rich Kids’ and their followers telling us ‘we are all in this together’ and taking a 5% pay cut to show the way. Our own modest MP getting a rise from £64,000 to £137,000 cutting by some £8,000 leaving him only £129,000, I wonder if they can all manage on what’s left?

We now have the spectacle of a prime minister sinking his principles to grab his few years/months of glory and the LibDems, well, no principles at all to get a sniff on the coat tails of CONservative minority power.

A lot is said by our brave new leader about his new government being more democratic?? The first thing he does is to secure his premiership by raising the vote to bring down a government from 50% + 1 to 55%.

The best way to be more democratic would to stop all ‘whipping’ and let Members of Parliament vote as they promised the electors in their constituency.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Once again the problem of ‘Binge Drinking’ and alcohol abuse has been raised on Breakfast television, I can only republish what I wrote on the subject some 2 years + ago and the letter I sent to my local member of parliament Dr. Vince Cable MP and hope, now in the cabinet he can bring pressure to bear in the right places.----------------------------------------------------------------------

A lot is being said and written about this growing problem, the most being said about is raising the tax and duty to make it prohibitive.

This would only bring about the closing of sensible and controlled drinking places. British Legion Clubs, Private Members Clubs, Sports and Social Clubs, Public Houses with Tenants and free House Owners who know how to control their customers, and conduct sensible social drinking.

The modern trend of ‘Pub Chains’ and companies only add to the problem with their managers only aim seems to be to boost trade and make more profit for their companies and commission at any cost.

The end of ‘cheap booze’ and the ‘buy one and get one free’ culture at Supper Markets and chain store off-licences must end. If a bottle of whisky is £15 and a can of beer £2.30 so be it.

Drinking alcohol in the street and Public Places should be band (excepting private gardens and a Beer Tent at an organised function) there are now plenty of drinking places in all towns, restaurants and Pubs.

I fully agree with you that all tax/VAT should be removed or as low as possible on all soft drinks, but raising on alcoholic drinks to discourage binge drinking would be counter productive.

A lot is being said and written about this growing problem, the most being said about is raising the tax and duty to make it prohibitive.

This would only bring about the closing of sensible and controlled drinking places. British Legion Clubs, Private Members Clubs, Sports and Social Clubs, Public Houses with Tenants and free House Owners who know how to control their customers, and conduct sensible social drinking.

The modern trend of ‘Pub Chains’ and companies only add to the problem with their managers only aim seems to be to boost trade and make more profit for their companies and commission at any cost.

The end of ‘cheap booze’ and the ‘buy one and get one free’ culture at Supper Markets and chain store off-licences must end. If a bottle of whisky is £15 and a can of beer £2.30 so be it.

Drinking alcohol in the street and Public Places should be band (excepting private gardens and a Beer Tent at an organised function) there are now plenty of drinking places in all towns, restaurants and Pubs.

About Me

Born in Hampton, second of five children, educated in the Borough. Served printing apprenticeship at Twickenham Printers. Established own printing company in Twickenham, moved business to Hampton Hill on expansion in the mid '70s at the same time becoming Sub Post Master for Hampton Hill. Became licensee of small hotel in 1987. An active and lifelong Socialist, joined the Labour Party in Twickenham in 1952, served on its management and executive committees. Member of the National Graphical Association. Elected to Borough Council as councillor for Hampton Hill. Appointed school governor of two schools. Former active member of Teddington Old People's Welfare Committee, a member of Twickenham Rotary Club playing a very active role. Chairman of a working man's club. Former Commissioner for the Scout Movement in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.Trustee and founder member of Twickenham Riverside Terrace Group.